THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 39 



Soc, Queensland., vi., p. 117, pi. 6., f. i, 2 (i88y), from specimens 

 taken in Queensland, the locality being given as Brisbane to 

 Townsville, and it was afterwards sunk by Miskin as a synonym 

 of H. erinus in his " Synonymic Cat. Lep. Rhop.," along with 

 our Victorian H. mcerens. 



This latter species has since been revived, and in fact was 

 never regarded by those who have had opportunities of collecting 

 this insect themselves, or who have had a good series of 

 specimens for comparison, other than as a distinct species. 

 Many, however, follow Miskin in regarding //. subpallidus only 

 as another form of H. erinus, while with others there is a 

 tendency to place it with H. mcerens. When compared together 

 there can be little doubt as to their being quite distinct, the great 

 and constant difference in size, and the striking difference in 

 colour of the under side, which is dark grey in H. erinus, while 

 in H. subpallidiis it is whitish grey, being alone sufficient to 

 separate them. The markings in H. subpallidus are, moreover, 

 less numerous, the blue of the upper surface nearly absent, and 

 the two conspicuous black spots at hinder angle of primaries are 

 constant and well defined, while in B. erinus they are much 

 suffused and vary from two to three. In the secondaries there 

 is a row of four or five rather inconspicuous submarginal spots, 

 which do not occur in H. erinus. Among the many Queensland 

 specimens of H. erinus which I have examined there is no 

 tendency to approach //. subpallidus, either in size or colour of 

 the under side. //. subpallidus is not found in Victoria, being 

 only so far recorded from Queensland. 



With regard to //. mcerens there is no appreciable difference 

 in size or in colour of the upper side, but in colour and markings 

 of the under side they are quite distinct, while the suffused and 

 gradually decreasing size of the submarginal row of spots in 

 primaries, and the conspicuous and characteristic irregular sub- 

 apical blotch in secondaries, will readily separate it from the two 

 former species. One has only to compare these three species 

 together to immediately detect the striking difference between 

 them. 

 Areas marginata, Don. 



If we are to accept Meyrick's conclusions regarding the varia- 

 tions of this species as correct, it is undoubtedly one of the most 

 variable of our Australian Lepidoptera. It is found to vary from 

 pure white without any markings whatever to light ochreous with 

 heavy black markings on the fore wings, and almost wholly 

 black hind wings. So great is the difference in the two forms that 

 it requires great exercise of the imagination to connect them under 

 the same species, and it is only on the autiiority of such a careful 

 worker as Meyrick that I place them together, more especially as 

 he says that "all the varieties are connected by intermediate forms," 



